The following post comes to us from Keith Coppersmith, an experienced business consultant who serves small businesses and startups.

Employees are the very core of every business. Without employees, you simply cannot do what’s necessary on your own in order to grow or develop your business further. However, simply having employees is sometimes not enough to reach optimal business performance. In fact, employees have to be motivated, engaged and productive so that they can drive your business forward.

But you cannot expect your employees to naturally have superior productivity from the start. Instead, you must inspire and encourage them to become engaged. That’s oftentimes easier said than done. The main reason is that from the employee’s perspective, money isn’t always on top of the priority list. They want a suitable work environment and conditions that will make them enjoy work and not resent it. That being said, here are a few ways entrepreneurs can increase employee productivity.

Give them praise

Good work shouldn’t go unnoticed. This is especially true if your employees are doing their best to meet the deadlines and produce quality results. Every chance you get, you should provide your employees with the recognition they deserve and give them proper praise. It will not only boost their morale and overall mood but it will also increase their productivity. Even a simple “good job” or “thank you for your hard work” can mean a lot to your employees.

Appreciating your employees improves their self-worth and encourages them to continue doing their best. In addition, don’t hesitate to socialize with your employees. It will help you to get to know them better and determine the best way to give them praise. The main reason is that one-size-fits-all doesn’t work with employee recognition, mainly because each individual has their own preferences.

Provide them with the right tools

Nowadays, almost every office space is powered by technology in some way. If you wish to improve employee productivity, you have to ensure they have the right tools they can utilize in order to do their jobs effectively. However, simply having technology may not always work. The main reason is that obsolete tech will decrease productivity instead of improve upon it.

Therefore, modernize the office equipment and provide your employees with what they truly need. There are various things you can implement, such as communication tools, collaboration software, faster Internet speed and so on. That way, you’re not only improving employee productivity but you’re also improving your company’s performance.

Streamline the payroll process

As mentioned before, money may not be on top of the priority list for your employees but it’s still a powerful motivator. You cannot expect employees to work for free or be productive for that matter.

With that in mind, consider streamlining the payroll process to ensure your employees get paid on time. You can even consider implementing reliable employee income cards that can easily replace the waste and inconvenience of paper checks. Employees are more likely to be productive as well as engaged if their salaries are on time.

Improve your employees’ skills

Technology can make everything more seamless but your employees must have the necessary skills that will help them utilize technology in the best way possible. In order to further boost employee productivity, make sure you provide them with additional training that will help them hone their skills or learn new ones. This will not only help your employees do their job better but also help them advance in ranks at your company.

Proper training is also essential in your onboarding process. That way, you’ll ensure that new hires can properly adjust to your company’s culture and the way things operate in your company. If you fail to do so, new arrivals will not only lack the efficiency but you may also face costly turnovers. The better you train your employees, the more productive they’ll be.

Introduce flexibility

Flexibility at the office can go a long way in increasing employee productivity. If you take a step towards helping your employees improve their work-life balance, you’ll have a much more productive and motivated workforce. What’s more, it won’t cost you anything to introduce more flexibility. You can start with flexible work hours and allow employees to come in late or leave early, as long as they complete their tasks, of course.

Also, allow remote work or working from home as an option if employees must stay home for whatever reason. Last but not least, allow employees to take a day off without providing a good reason. These options fit employee needs especially if they have a kid to take care of at home or perhaps even a sick or elderly relative. After all, it’s always better to help your employees sort out any issues outside work than it is to have that issue linger over them while they’re at the office.

Increasing employee productivity doesn’t have to be a daunting task. If you take the time to understand your employees’ needs, you’ll be able to determine how to motivate them best. Having a great company culture and work environment will help vastly but you must also focus on the details that will make your employees truly productive.

What successes or challenges have you experienced with managing your employees’ productivity? Share your thoughts and insights by leaving a comment below!

About the Author: Keith Coppersmith is an Adelaide based business consultant with a degree in Media Management. With experience in numerous small businesses and startups, he enjoys giving advice on all things marketing.